Fire-escape



(No Model.)

y o. M. FOVWLBR.

-PIRB ESCAPE.

-. No. 553,190. Patented Jan.f14,'1896.

M. 077, MMM/ 5%@ M 7M ttorney Y y ANDREW B GRMIAM.FMUUMTHQWASHINGTORUC UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. EOIVLER, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ERNEST PETERS, OF TOMPKINS, MICHIGAN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,190, dated January 14, 1896. Application filed May 16, 1894. Serial No. 511,452. (No model.)

To all whom, zit may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. FowLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lowell, inthe county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

The drawing is a perspective View of the invention.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in lire-escapes, and more particularly to that class of such devices as are set forth and claimed in my Patent No. 505,706, dated September 26, 1893.

The object of the invention is to provide an escape of the above character having a friction device which can be readily reversed and used either end up, whereby after one person has made an escape a second person still in the building can pull the rope, friction device, and sling up to him, make fast the opposite end of the rope, and descend, thereby avoiding the necessity for running the escape back on the rope to its first position. Y

With this object in view the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the letter A designates a rope which should be of the proper length to just reach from its place of attachment in the building to the ground, being provided with a loop at each end in order that either end may be readily made fast to a hook or other fastening.

B designates the improved friction device, which consists of a small casting or frame,

having an eye a through each of its end porl tions, and cross-bars b c between said eyes, the

rope A being passed through the eye at one end, rove around the said bars, as indicated, and passing out through the eye at the opposite end.

Midway of their length the lateral bars of the frame or casting are provided with trunnions or bearing-studs d d, which engage bearings in the arms of a stirrup C, arranged to swing around the ends of the said frame or casting, and to the cross-bar of which is attached a sling or belt D.

After one person has descended, the rope, frictional device and sling are pulled up by another person, the opposite end of the rope made fast, reversing the friction device, and a second descent made without the delay which would otherwise be required to run the said device back on the rope.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The herein described reversible fire escape, consisting of a friction device B, which is a small casting or frame of narrow elongated form having an eye through each end portion and formed with the two parallel transverse bars b, and c, one above the other, a rope passed through the said eyes and rove around the said bars, a stirrup C having arms which are loosely journaled upon laterally projecting studs or trunnions formed upon the side bars of said frame intermediate of its ends, said stirrup being arranged to swing around the ends of the said frame, and a belt or sling D secured to the transverse bar of said stirrup, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I aiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES M. FOVLER. Witnesses:

WM. P. HAYES, MARY CLARK. 

